Students will get a chance to hear from economist Dr. Chris D’Souza as part of the bank’s Central Bank in Your Classroom program. (TRAVIS FAUTEUX/University of Windsor)
By Sara Elliott
As questions about Canada’s economic direction mount, University of Windsor students will soon hear directly from someone working at the centre of it.
Economist Dr. Chris D’Souza from the Bank of Canada will visit campus Monday, March 23, speaking in three undergraduate classes as part of the bank’s Central Bank in Your Classroom program.
The initiative connects students with economists from the central bank of Canada to provide an inside look at how monetary policy works in practice.
D’Souza, assistant director in the Canadian Economic Analysis Department, previously served as senior economist in the Financial Markets Department.
In his current role, he oversees several of the bank’s key surveys, including the Business Outlook Survey, the Canadian Survey of Consumer Expectations, and the Business Leaders Pulse.
“Events like this help students see that economics shapes everyday decisions — from inflation and interest rates to jobs, growth, and the economic conditions Canadians experience every day,” says Dr. Marcelo Arbex, acting head of the Department of Economics.
“Hearing directly from an economist at the Bank of Canada gives our students a window into how policy is made and the kinds of careers they can pursue.”
Arbex says the visit is part of a broader effort by the department to expand student engagement, modernize its programs and create more opportunities for students.
“We want people at the University of Windsor to ‘Think Economics,’” he says.
“We want our students to see how economic ideas connect to real-world issues, both inside and outside the classroom.”
The department is currently updating its curriculum to offer more flexible pathways and additional electives that support a wide range of career goals – from policy and government to finance, data analysis, and business.
New courses include offerings in health economics, financial econometrics, public finance and environmental economics.
To make economics more accessible to students from across campus, there are certificate programs and an “Economics in a Year" pathway – where students can complete a minor in economics in one year.
“We are encouraging students to think about economics as a valuable complement to many different fields of study,” says Arbex.
In addition to curriculum expansion, he says the department wants to build a sense of community with deep connections among students and faculty.
On Wednesday, March 25, the department will host Breakfast with the ECONS, where students and faculty are encouraged to mingle over grab and go breakfast.
Student-led initiatives like the Economics Students’ Association also help with that goal.
Students interested in attending one of D’Souza’s class visits should contact the department at economics@uwindsor.ca.